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and it seemed to me I never could bear to go there again. It was very lovely there last winter but what will it be now. While we were in Giffords Studio Mr. Pratt from the Museum Society of our committee came in fortunately and we talked of many things in connection with our duties. I left for home by 4 o'clock train and arrived there somewhat unexpectedly finding my father not very well. Found a letter here from Mrs. Gifford and one from Robt. Gordon about my picture from the Royal Academy which has arrived in N.Y. He sailed for England 23th.

Sunday 26 Sept. 1880. Have been busy all day writing. Went to the cemetery after breakfast. A warm beautiful day. I am irresistibly drawn to dear Gertrudes grave and as soon as I get there such a desolating feeling comes over me that I wish I had not come. Came back and went over to my studio to look at my pictures and the portrait of Gertrude and to look about my place. The views from there were very beautiful under the soft morning light with the first suggestion of Autumn color and I was glad to see Josephine and her husband and the children there to take the empty and lonely look from the place. I have written to Weir a long letter, to P. H. Brown of Portland about Giffords Twilight in the Kaatsills, to Richard Butler, to J. T. Wilson about his Gifford picture, to Mr. Fairbanks of St. Johnsbury about his, and to Fitch, and wrote up my diary. Girard and his wife & children were here to dinner and Louis Anderson who was here with Sara since last Monday and the house has seemed quite cheerful. Sara was sent for from High Falls to see Annie Norton who was suddenly taken ill, and will not return until tomorrow. Julia Dillon has returned from Europe, has been here and painted a little in my studio in my absence. The old sad feeling meets me here but I am going to try to combat it. I ought to be somewhere sketching but cannot leave now on account of this exhibition of Giffords works. I wrote from N.Y. to Mrs. Whittredge to ask her where Whittredge is and possibly I may join him if I can.

Monday 27. Went to the Strand after breakfast and got a postal order for £1.11 which I sent to Smith of London for his bill attending to my picture. It has been a dull day and has rained a little and I have had the old sad, lonely feeling, not knowing what to do with myself. Spent a little time in my studio working on another picture of Gertrude. All my thoughts are of her and I seem unable to get interested in any thing. I ought to be sketching but I cannot go away alone. I should die of melancholy and besides I must hold myself ready to go to N.Y. to hang Giffords pictures. Sara returned from High Falls today.